eprintid: 10148659
rev_number: 9
eprint_status: archive
userid: 699
dir: disk0/10/14/86/59
datestamp: 2022-05-18 09:42:29
lastmod: 2022-05-18 09:42:29
status_changed: 2022-05-18 09:42:29
type: article
metadata_visibility: show
sword_depositor: 699
creators_name: Scott, HM
creators_name: Oliver, S
title: University students’ experiences of recreational class a drug taking and perspectives on personal, social and health education (PSHE) drug education
ispublished: pub
divisions: B14
divisions: J81
divisions: B16
divisions: UCL
note: This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions.
abstract: Purpose: Research suggests that student drug use is substantially higher than that of the general population and while the UK Government’s current Drug Strategy emphasises the importance of PSHE in preventing young people from becoming drug users, there is a lack of research investigating the longer-term effectiveness of drug prevention education, and students’ views using qualitative methods. The purpose of this paper is to gain a holistic understanding into university students’ lived experiences of recreational class A drug taking and the drug education taught in English secondary schools. Design/methodology/approach: Five interviews with university students were undertaken and thematically analysed using an ideographic case study approach alongside a qualitative content analysis of publicly available drug education resources and policy documents. Findings: The normalisation of drug taking at university and social micro-pressures to assimilate group norms were key contributing factors to participants’ drug use. While the content of drug education in PSHE is grounded in theory, its implementation is not. Originality/value: This study extends upon existing theories of normalisation of drug use at university through the concept of micro-pressures to offer an explanation of the process by which students assimilate group norms through the implicit threat of not fitting in.
date: 2022-05-06
date_type: published
publisher: Emerald
official_url: https://doi.org/10.1108/SC-05-2021-0018
oa_status: green
full_text_type: other
language: eng
primo: open
primo_central: open_green
verified: verified_manual
elements_id: 1942438
doi: 10.1108/SC-05-2021-0018
lyricists_name: Oliver, Sandra
lyricists_id: SOLIV93
actors_name: Oliver, Sandra
actors_id: SOLIV93
actors_role: owner
full_text_status: public
publication: Safer Communities
volume: 21
number: 2
pagerange: 85-96
issn: 1757-8043
citation:        Scott, HM;    Oliver, S;      (2022)    University students’ experiences of recreational class a drug taking and perspectives on personal, social and health education (PSHE) drug education.                   Safer Communities , 21  (2)   pp. 85-96.    10.1108/SC-05-2021-0018 <https://doi.org/10.1108/SC-05-2021-0018>.       Green open access   
 
document_url: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10148659/1/Oliver_Scott%20and%20Oliver.pdf